AKRON, Ohio — There's no doubt that Halloween is the spookiest time of the year, but did you know it's also when emergency rooms see more injuries?
Akron Children's Hospital said three children were hospitalized over the weekend after being hit by cars. At least one of them was trick-or-treating.
The hospital's Prevention Manager, Heather Trnka, said most of these kinds of injuries happen because kids are darting into streets from between parked cars or in the middle of a road between crosswalks.
"Kids under 10 cannot judge the speed of a vehicle," she said. "They don't have the ability to say 'Oh! That car is moving fast, or I have time to cross the road.' It's important for kids under 10 years old to have adult supervision as they are trick or treating, and also talking to our kids about important things like crossing the street at only crosswalks or intersections."
Whether you're taking your small children around the block or sending your older kids out on their own for the first time, there's going to be a lot of kids out on the street.
It's also getting darker sooner. Fairview Park's Police Chief Paul Shepard recommends getting your kids a glow-in-the-dark bracelet or sticking a few pieces of reflective tape to their costumes.
This can help you keep track of your child in a sea of superheroes and princesses.
Sheppard also said even though most trick-or-treating happens in residential areas, staying aware of your surroundings is crucial on a night where distractions are everywhere.
"The big thing is making sure the kids stay tempered a little bit, so they can have good safety skills," he said. "Make sure they look both ways before they cross the street, cross at crosswalks, not in the middle of parked cars."
Sheppard also said homeowners can do some things to prevent turning a festive evening into a tragedy.
If you can, move cars off the street and into the driveway, so there will be fewer children crossing between cars.
Also, make sure the paths to your home are well-lit, the lights are on, and clean up any debris that might trip a child.
